Dispensing package for compressible pads



Oct. 3, 1961 G. M. GAULD DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR COMPRESSIBLE PADS Filed Feb. 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. 65026611164 u1 0 A TTO/QNEYS Oct. 3, 1961 G. M. GAULD 3,002,651

DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR COMPRESSIBLE PADS Filed Feb. 27, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEoeoe/MGA uw BY W, M 4 4 ATTORNEYS Oct. 3, 1961 G. M. GAULD 3,002,651

DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR COMPRESSIBLE PADS Filed Feb. 27, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet s FIG. 9

Fla. ll

INVENTOR. GsoResM. 6A ULD A TTOENEYS United States Patent 3,002,651 DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR COMPRESSIBLE PADS George M. Gauld, Caro, Mich, assignor to Alloy Metal Wool Products Corp., Caro, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 27, 1958, Set. N0. 718,053 15 Claims. (Cl. 221-34) This invention relates to dispensing packages for generally circular compressible soap or scouring pads.

In recent times the use of disposable soap or scouring pads has become very extensive. Such pads are usually circular having a diameter of approximately two and a half inches and a thickness of approximately one inch. It is customary to package such pads in stacks in a suitable container such as a carton, and the customer utilizes them merely by opening the package and removing a pad from the package.

It is an object of this invention to provide a package for such soap or scouring pads which can be used both for handling and merchandising the pads and, in addition, will serve as a dispensing container which can be mounted on a wall or in a suitable wall bracket.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a package which will effectively hold the pads and at the same time will permit them to be readily dispensed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a package which may be manufactured at low cost.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a package embodying the invention showing the package in condition for dispensing pads.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the package opened for packing.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the lower end of the package as it is being assembled.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the package.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5 with the parts removed for dispensing.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of another form of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 88 in FIG. 7 showing the package being prepared for dispensing.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the blank used in making the package shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the blank used in making the package shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the blank used in making the package shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Referring to FIG. 1, the container 20 is generally rectangular in shape and holds two vertical rows of compressible soap or scouring pads 21. The pads are dispensed by pulling a pad from the lower end of the container 20. Each pad is circular and has a diameter several times its thickness. For example, each pad may have a diameter of approximately two and one half inches and a thickness of approximately one inch.

As shown in FIG. 9 the package 20 is made from a blank 22 of frangible material such as paper or cardboard. Blank 22 is generally rectangular in shape and includes a first set of parallel fold lines 23, 24, 25 and 26 which define a front panel 27, side panels 28, 29 connected to the front panel 27, a rear panel 30 connected to side panel 28 and a glue flap 31 connected to rear panel 30.

Blank 22 includes a second set of fold lines 32, 33 at 2 a right angle to the first set of fold lines. Fold line 32 defines a front top flap 34 extending from. one end of front panel 27, side top flaps 35, 36 extending from one end of side panels 28, 29 and a support flap 37 extending from one end of rear panel 30.

Fold line 33 defines a front bottom flap 38 extending from the other end of front panel 27, side bottom flaps 39, 40 extending from the other ends of side panels 28, 29 and a rear bottom flap 41 extending from the other end of rear panel 30.

A removable portion 42 is provided in the blank and is defined by perforated lines including a perforated line 43 extending across the width of the front-panel adjacent the lower end thereof and parallel to fold line 33, perforated lines 44, 45 extending from the ends of line 43 toward the fold line 33 and intersecting the fold line 33 and perforated lines 46, 47 extending from the ends of the lines 44, 45, respectively, across the flaps 39, 40 at a right angle to the fold line 33.

Blank 22 is assembled by first folding the blank along fold lines 23, 24, 25 and 26 and then applying glue to flap 41 and causing it to adhere to side panel 29. This forms the rectangular shape of the container. Referring to FIG. 4, the lower end of the container is then closed by folding rear bottom flap 41 and front bottom flap 38 inwardly, folding side bottom flaps 39, 40 inwardly into overlying relationship with the flaps 41, 38 and then fastening the flaps together, preferably by the use of adhesive.

Referring to FIG. 2, a rectangular divider 48 is then placed in the container. Divider 48 is generally the same size and shape as side panels 28, 29. The divider separates the interior of the container into two vertical spaces into which the soap or scouring pads 21 may be disposed in a vertical row, one on top of another. As shown in FIG. 3 the width W; of the side panels 28, 29 is slightly greater than the diameter D of the pads so that the pads can move downwardly in the container under the influence of gravity without binding. The Width W of the front panel 27 and rear panel 30 is slightly greater than twice the thickness of the soap pads. It should, of course, be understood that the width of the front and rear panels may be increased to accommodate a plurality of rows of pads separated by a plurality of dividers 48.

Either prior to or after the insertion of the soap pads, the support flap 37 is folded along fold lines 49, 50 to define portions 51, 52 and tab 53. Portions 51, 52 are folded into overlapping relationship to one another when folded and include aligned openings 54, 55 while the tab 53 projects downwardly within the container (FIG. 2). In this position the flap 37 serves as a means for supporting the container on the wall, for example, by hooking over a nail 56 (FIG. 1).

After the package has been filled top side flaps 35, 36 are folded inwardly and front top flap 34 is folded into overlying relationship with the flaps 35, 36. A fold line 57 defines a tab 58 on the free end of the front flap 54 which is inserted downwardly within the container to hold the top flap 34 in position.

The package is now in packed condition ready for shipment to the retailer and for sale to the consumer. When the consumer purchases a package and takes it to his home, he removes the portion 42 by tearing along the lines 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 to define an opening 59 as shown in FIG. 3. The length L of this opening 59, in a direction perpendicular to panels 27, 30, is less than the diameter of a pad so that the pads cannot freely move out through the opening but are only removable by pull ing a pad, thereby compressing it sutficiently to permit its removal through the opening 59. In this manner a dispensing opening is readily provided for the pads .in the container. As each pad is removed the vertical row of pads moves downwardly under the action of gravity to bring another pad into dispensing position adjacent opening 59. The package may be supported on a wall by means of a nail and by use of the support flap 37 or alternatively a suitable bracket may be provided for the package, it, of course, being necessary that the bracket have an opening in the lower end thereof corresponding to the dispensing opening of the package.

a A modified form of the container is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this form being made from a blank such as shown in FIG. 10. This form of the invention is identical in construction to the previous form except for the removable portion 60 which is defined by perforated lines 61, 62, 63 and 63a. Perforated line 61 is parallel to fold line 33, perforated lines 62, 63 extend from the ends of line 61 along fold lines 24, 23 to the end of the front panel 27, and perforated line 63a extends across the bottom of panel 27 along fold line 33. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, when the removable portion 60 is removed by the consumer by tearing along these fold lines, an opening 64 is defined in the front panel 27. The length L of opening 64, in a direction perpendicular to the planes of panels 27, 30, is less than the diameter of a soap pad so that, as in the previous form of the invention, the soap pad must be pulled to compress it sufficiently to permit its removal through opening 64.

A further form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and is made from a blank such as shown in FIG. 11. This form is identical to the previous forms except for the removable portion 65 which is defined by perforated lines 66, 67, 68, 69 and 7t). Perforated line 66 has a central curved portion lying in the front panel 27 and the ends thereof lying along the fold line 33. Perfo rated lines 67, 68 extend from the ends of line 66 along the fold line 33 at the lower endof side panels 28, 29. Perforated lines 69, 70 extend from the ends of lines 67, 68 at a right angle thereto across the bottom flaps 39, 40.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, when the customer wishes to open the package, he depresses the arcuate portion of the perforated line 66 and thereby provides a means for grasping the removable portion 65 and tearing it along the perforated lines. The resultant dispensing opening 71 has the major portion thereof lying in the bottom of the container. The length L of opening 71, in a direction perpendicular to panels 27, 30, is less than the diameter of a soap pad 21.

The term frangible paper when used herein is intended to cover materials which can be easily torn along a perforated line such as paper and cardboard. The term"weakened lines when used herein is intended to cover any method of weakening such materials along a predetermined line such as, for example, perforations in order that the material may be torn along said predetermined line.

In summary, it can be seen that there has'been provided a low-cost package which can be used both for handling and'merchandising compressible pads and also for dispensing the pads.

I claim:

1. A package comprising a plurality of generally circular compressible pads, each pad having a diameter greater than its thickness, a generally rectangular container, the distance between one pair of side panels of said container being slightly greater than the diameter of one of said pads, said pads being positioned in said container in tangential side-by-side relationship, one above the other, to form a vertical row of pads, said container being made of frangible material and having weakened linesat the lower end thereof defining an opening, the size of said opening in a direction parallel to the plane of said pads being less than the diameter of one of said pads, whereby a portion of said container may be removed. by severing the material of said container along said weakened lines to expose the opening and the lowermost pad.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 including a flat divider in said container, the plane of said divider being parallel to the other pair of sides whereby two rows of soap pads may be provided in said container the size of said opening in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said pads being substantially equal to the total of the sum of the thicknesses of said pads and said divider.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said weakened lines are in the lower front corner of said con tainer.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said weakened lines are substantially entirely in the front panel of said container.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said weakened lines are substantially entirely in the bottom of said container.

6. A package comprising a plurality of generally circular compressible soap pads, each pad having a diameter greater than its thickness, a generally rectangular container made from a single blank of frangible material and having a front panel, a rear panel spaced from and parallel to the front panel, and side panels spaced from and parallel to one another, the width of said side panels being slightly greater than the diameter of said pads, said pads being positioned in said container in tangential side= by-side relationship, one above the other, to form a vertical row of pads, said container including top flaps closing the upper end thereof and bottom flaps closing the lower end thereof, and weakened lines on the lower end of said container whereby a portion of the lower end of the container may be removed by tearing along said weakened lines to define an opening, said opening having a length less than the width of said side panels, whereby said pads may be removed through said opening by pulling the pad through said opening. I

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said weakened lines lie in said front panel, side panels and bottom flaps so that when the removable portion of the container is torn away the opening is in the lower front corner of the container.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said weakened lines are in the lower end of said front panel, whereby when the removable portion of the container is torn away said opening is in the front panel.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said weakened lines have the major portions thereof in the bottom flaps so that when the removable portion of the container is torn away the major portion of the resultant opening is in the bottom of the container.

10. A package comprising a plurality of circular compressible pads, each pad having a diameter greater than its thickness, a generally rectangular container made from a single blank of paper and having a front panel, a rear panel spaced and parallel to the front panel, and side panels spaced and parallel to one another, the width of said side panels being slightly greater than the'diameter of said pads, said pads being positioned in said container in tangential side-by-side relationship, one above the other, to form a vertical row of pads, said container including top flaps closing the upper end thereof and bottom flaps closing the lower end thereof, weakened lines on the lower end of said container whereby a portion of the lower end of the container may be removed by tearing along said weakened lines to define an opening, said opening having a length less than the width of said side panels, whereby said pads may be placed in'said container one above the other and may be removed through said opening by pulling the soap pad through said opening, a rectangular divider of paper positioned in said container and dividing said container into-two vertical spaces for receiving two rows of pads, the Width of said front panel being substantially equal to the total 'of the thicknesses of two pads and the thickness of the divider, and means for suspending said container on a wall. 7

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for suspending said container on a wall comprises a flap extendin upwardly from said rear panel andh'aving a first portion thereof foldable into overlapping relationship with a second portion thereof, and aligned openings in said two portions defining a nail-receiving opening.

12. A blank for a circular compressible pad package comprising a generally rectangular piece of frangible material including a first set of parallel fold lines defining a front panel and side panels attached to said front panel, a rear panel connected to one of said side panels and a glue flap connected to said rear panel, said blank including a second set of parallel fold lines at right angles to said first set of fold lines defining top and botom flaps connected respectively to the ends of said front, side and rear panels, and weakened lines at one end of said blank adjacent said front panel defining a removable portion of said blank, said weakened lines being of such a length and being so positioned that when said carton is assembled and said removable portion is broken away, a dispensing opening is provided having a dimension parallel to said side panels which is less than the width of said side panels, the width of said side panels substantially equal to the diameter of the pads which are to be positioned in the carton.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein said weakened lines comprise a first line in said front panel parallel to said second set of fold lines, a second line in each of said side panels connected to the ends of the first line and extending toward one end of the side panels, and a third line in each of said side panel flaps connected to one end of said second line in its respective side panel, each said third line being parallel to said first set of fold lines.

14. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein said weakened lines comprise a first weakened line in said front panel parallel to said second set of fold lines and a second weakened line extending from one end of said first weakened line along the fold line which connects the front panel to one side panel to the one end of said side panel, a third weakened line extending from the other end of said first weakened line along the fold line which connects the front panel to the other side panel to the end of said front panel, and a fourth weakened line in said front panel parallel to said first weakened line and extending along said fold line which conects a flap to the front panel.

15. The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein said weakened lines comprise a first line in said front panel having the ends thereof generally parallel to the first set of fold lines, a second weakened line connected to the one end of said first weakened line and extending along one of said second set of fold lines adjacent one side panel, a third weakened line connected to the other end of said first weakened line and extending along said one said fold line adjacent the other side panel, a fourth weakened line extending from the end of said second weakened line at a generally right angle thereto and through said flap connected to said one side panel, and a fifth weakened line extending from the end of said third weakened line at right angles thereto and through said flap connected to said other side panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,341,893 Fitzgerald June 1, 1920 1,600,538 Dollahite Sept. 21, 1926 1,668,171 Pratt May 1, 1928 1,714,469 Hoffman May 21, 1929 1,725,372 Richman Aug. 20, 1929 1,862,685 Kennett June 14, 1932 1,956,642 Einson May 1, 1934 1,965,904 Mitchell July 10, 1934 1,980,819 Nelson Nov. 13, 1934 2,540,499 Towne Feb. 6, 1951 2,771,216 Reiner Nov. 20, 1956 

